A “pretty little gin cocktail†with the creaminess of a Pina Colada, the Ramos Gin Fizz (originally called the New Orleans Fizz) was invented in 1888 and became so popular that it took on the name of its creator— Henry C. Ramos, an even-tempered temperance advocate, God-fearing preacher-bartender (the kind of multi-hyphenated character only a city like New Orleans could produce).
Cocktail historian Dale Degroff calls the gin fizz “a sparkling version of a sour,†and explains that the Ramos Gin Fizz was embellished with cream, milk, orange-flower water and most distinguished by the strenuous shaking required to render all that creaminess. To be sure, some recipes estimate a “good 2 to 10 minutes†while others place it much higher and exhaustingly upwards of that number.
According to legend, the cocktail became such a sensation in New Orleans that Ramos routinely employed at least 20 bartenders working solely on shaking the cocktail. According to Stanley Clisby Arthur in New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ‘Em Ramos’s team “nearly shook their arms off, and were still unable to keep up with the demand.â€
Alas, this was only the beginning of the tale. It would take another 20 years for the Ramos Gin Fizz to make a true splash.
The year was 1935 when a wildly bombastic Louisiana Senator Huey P. Long, known then as the Kingfish, was “politicking†against President Roosevelt’s New Deal and decided to use the Hotel New Yorker as backdrop for a publicity stunt.
That’s how The Hotel Roosevelt’s head bartender arrived from New Orleans with a cocktail shaker in hand to make a Ramos Gin Fizz for the Senator. Surrounded by journalists and friends, Long talked shop, “Now this here chap knows how to mix a Ramos Gin Fizz,†Long explained. And mix he did, as Long expounded to ever-growing crowd, contrasting the fine points of the fizz to the dull points of Roosevelt’s plan, calling the President “no good†and a “faker.†Point made. Fizz made.
So, there you have it—the mixology and mythology of the Ramos Gin Fizz and Huey P. Long, both testament to the fancy and hard work it takes to become a legend.
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Events
🎯Good Times and Goodbyes A House Guest Send-Off Featuring our Dive Ba...
As a part of Tales of the Cocktail... After a week of high-proof hospitality, big reveals, and even bigger nights—Friday at the Sazerac House is all about the soft landings and strong pours. Whether you're catching one last connection or just need to return our extra house key, we’re throwing the kind of farewell party that feels less like a goodbye and more like “when are we doing this again?” Welcome to Good Times & Goodbyes, a come-as-you-are celebration of service-industry soul, New Orleans meets Chicago bar culture, and the divey, delicious end-of-the-week energy that makes you want to move in forever. On the 4th floor - in the cozy, sun-drenched Guest Room - Sazerac teams up with Best Intentions to serve ice-cold cocktails and Benny’s Beef to offer heavenly Chicago Beef. You’ve never been this taken care of at a friend’s house. Until next year… [Click to read more]
Buffalo Trace Prohibition Collection Tasting Experience
Step inside one of the Sazerac House’s intimate speakeasies for a rare and immersive tasting experience featuring the Buffalo Trace Prohibition Collection, Series 1. This exclusive collection showcases five expressions recreated to reflect the styles of whiskey legally produced during Prohibition, when Buffalo Trace was one of the few distilleries permitted to operate for medicinal purposes. Guided by our expert bourbon stewards, guests will explore the history of the Prohibition era and its impact on American whiskey culture, all while enjoying a curated tasting of the complete series.
Walking with Whiskey
Join our distillery team for an in-depth journey through the whiskey making process. From grain to bottle, you'll walk through the steps of making Sazerac Rye Whiskey and conclude with a Sazerac Rye Cocktail Demo.
Here’s to classic cocktails and those destined to be.
